1976 Chrysler Cordoba from North America - Comments

Most everything except the internal engine parts and rear end at one time or another.

Carburetor (more than once).

Transmission.

Ball joints (more than once).

Tie rod ends.

K frame sagged making a proper alignment near the end difficult to impossible.

Air conditioning evaporator core.

I bought this car when I was young and dumb, spent large piles of money on repairs, totaled it while in the USN, re-built the car and drove it for several more years until it was totaled for a second and last time (last time was not my fault).

On the plus side the car was very fast (note the young and dumb comment above); while I was in the service in my late teens to early 20's I drove this car all over the country and rarely below 100 MPH, this car handled and rode at 100 MPH like most cars do at 60. Car also got amazingly good gas mileage at high speeds, 18 MPG was common on trips up to 750 miles at a stretch.

I did put a high performance front sway bar on the car soon after I bought it, which helped stability considerably. The car came from the factory with a rear sway bar.

Overall a very troublesome and expensive car to own, but very comfortable.

I really got a chuckle out of your statement -

"I bought this car when I was young and dumb, spent large piles of money on repairs"

Even more so when I read that your previous car was a Pinto.

I would love to see what you write about that, after all you were even younger then.

Thanks for an enjoyable read!

Same reviewer posted a review of the '73 Duster he got after the Cordoba.

OK, I'll add a review of my 73 Pinto Wagon in the proper place although you all might find that one kind of boring.

Lane.

Odd that you had so much trouble with replacing suspension components. We still have a 1975 Dodge Charger SE with all the original parts (bought new and now has 99,000 original miles) and it still rides like a dream. I suppose driving yours constantly at +100 mph might have worn a few things out more quickly.

That is what my mechanic told me for the second set of ball joints I went through on the Cordoba; the car was simply not built to be driven at sustained speeds of 100 MPH+.

And I must admit that the three Chrysler New Yorkers I owned after the Cordoba, which under the sheet metal were the same car, did not suffer suspension failures in over 200,000+ miles. One difference was I did not drive the New Yorkers anywhere nearly as fast as the Cordoba, so the evidence points at operator abuse.

Lane.